Photo: ATTA KENARE / AFP / Getty Images
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian announced on Tuesday (September 1) that Iran is prepared to return to the terms of an interim deal with the United States, provided the U.S. does the same. President Pezeshkian made these remarks at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, emphasizing Iran's preference for diplomacy over armed conflict.
The interim deal, signed in June, was initially intended to create a framework for ending the ongoing conflict that began with U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28. However, disagreements over its implementation led to the deal's rapid unraveling. President Pezeshkian, quoted by state media, stated, "If the U.S. returns to its commitments under the Memorandum of Understanding, the Islamic Republic of Iran will immediately reciprocate."
The Iranian leader reiterated that Tehran is open to dialogue and cooperation to resolve the conflict, stressing that war is not in anyone's interest. He also mentioned that Iran would allow free navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway for global oil supplies, only if the U.S. adheres to the agreement's terms.
Despite recent exchanges of attacks between the U.S. and Iran, U.S. President Donald Trump indicated that these do not signal a return to full-scale war. However, he warned that there would be a response to the Iranian attacks. As tensions persist, both sides remain at an impasse, with Iran keeping the Strait of Hormuz closed and the U.S. maintaining a naval counterblockade of Iran.
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